Sky High Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)July 27th, 2005
SKY HIGH
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Silly and sweet, SKY HIGH is a delightfully over-the-top kids' movie that is a good antidote for the typically pretentious super hero picture. It's also a very funny riff on high school comedies. And it's a PG rated family film that everyone will enjoy.
Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) is off to his first day of high school -- a challenge for any lad, but especially for Will since his parents are The Commander (Kurt Russell) and Jetstream (Kelly Preston), two of the most famous superheroes on the planet. And Will's high school isn't just any institution. It's an academy in the sky, exclusively for the children of superheroes.
On the critical first day on campus, Will washes out of power placement since his powers aren't just weak, they are -- as best Will can tell -- non-existent. Those whose powers aren't impressive enough are relegated to "hero support," where these "sidekicks" train under a wimpy Batboy-like character played by Dave Foley. Sidekicks are like nurses in an operating room, handing the instruments to the surgeons. At Sky High, Will continues to hangout with a sidekick named Layla (Danielle Panabaker), his best friend since the first grade. Of course, everyone but Will realizes that they are made for each other.
Of the film's many good jokes, none is better than the time The Commander, as an infuriated dad, attempts to call Will's school to complain about Will's being assigned to hero support. The Commander finds that his strength crushes the phone as he tries to push the buttons. Opening the kitchen drawer we see another dozen phones, so apparently this is a common problem in the Stronghold household.
And when Will doesn't appear destined to follow in his father's footsteps, The Commander laments to Jetstream, "All I ever wanted for him was to save the world."
SKY HIGH runs just right at 1:38. It is rated PG for "action violence and some mild language" and would be acceptable for all ages.
My son Jeffrey, age 16, giving it *** 1/2, he said that it was better than CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. He said that SKY HIGH was a good movie for all ages and had just the right amount of action. He thought it was funny and much fresher many other superhero films.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, July 29, 2005. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
Email: [email protected]
***********************************************************************
Want free reviews and weekly movie and video recommendations via Email?
Just send me a letter with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
